Clashes erupt in Manipur again, 2 feared shot dead

Armed attackers fired at villagers in Manipur’s Harothel village early on Thursday morning and at least two people died, officials aware of the incident said, marking the end of a brief lull in deaths that had lasted a fortnight and fuelled hopes that violence in the northeastern state was ebbing.

- Prawesh Lama

The incident – just around 20km from Imphal – highlighted the challenges facing administrative and military efforts to restore normalcy in a state that has been rendered asunder by ethnic violence. The ebbs and flows of the attacks, against the background of deep-rooted divisions in the state, also highlight the threat posed by well-armed groups that target specific locations and then lie low.

The two people allegedly died in a shootout with the villagers; one of the attackers was injured but was taken along by the rest. The attackers also fired at security forces when columns of personnel were rushing to the village in the morning. “Own troops deployed in the area immediately mobilised to prevent escalation of the situation. While enroute to the site, own columns drew effective fire from armed rioters,” the official SpearCorps handle of the army said.

“Unconfirmed reports indicate some casualties. Build-up of large crowds in the area also reported. Situation being closely monitored and further details will follow,” it added. At least three people were reported to have been injured.